Julio Acevedo charged in hit and run that killed family

March 8, 2013 7:56:34 PM PST

Eyewitness News

NEW YORK --

The man who surrendered to police for his role in a deadly hit and run in Brooklyn that killed a young couple has been charged in their deaths.

Julio Acevedo is charged with three counts of criminally negligent homicide, three counts of assault, leaving the scene of an accident where serious physical injury or death results, speeding and reckless driving.

He was arraigned Thursday night in state Supreme Court in Brooklyn and ordered held without bail. His wife and young daughter were in the courtroom, along with other family members and friends.

Takia Walker says a family member was using her BMW Saturday.

According to Walker, that family member lent the car to a girlfriend who lent it to someone else.

Walker told investigative reporter Sarah Wallace that she doesn't know the man accused of being behind the wheel, Julio Acevedo.

Acevedo surrendered to police in Pennsylvania and was arraigned on fugitive charges there Wednesday night. On Thursday, he waived extradition and rode with police back to New York.

The crash killed Nachman and Raizy Glauber, both 21. Their infant son, delivered by emergency C-section after the accident, died the next day. The family was headed into the hospital in a livery cab when Acevedo allegedly plowed into their vehicle.

Acevedo's attorney, Kathleen Julian called the deaths horrendous, but said no crime was committed. "It was an accident. Accidents happen every day," she said.

At the arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Gayle Dampf said two witnesses who have positively identified Acevedo as the motorist who struck the hired car, saw him drive "around a fire truck then accelerate and plow into a car."

"They approached him," Dampf said. "He said he was fine."

Dampf said the witnesses went to check on the victims and then "they then turned around and the defendant was gone."

Judge Stephen Antignani suspended his driver's license, but granted an order of protection to the livery driver who was involved in the accident. When the judge asked Acevedo, dressed in a white T-Shirt, light blue hooded sweat shirt black sneakers. if he understood the order of protection, he responded "yes."

It was not immediately clear why the judge issued the protection order.

Earlier Thursday, police had released a statement saying they had charged Acevedo with one count of vehicular manslaughter. Jonah Bruno, a spokesman for the district attorney's office, declined to say why prosecutors changed the top charge to criminally negligent homicide rather than keepiong the manslaughter charge.

Acevedo's next court appearance is March 13. He faces a minimum of 15 years to life in prison if convicted on the more serious charges.